Treatment Options for Overweight and Obesity - Diet: Effectiveness and Harm

Junk food increases weight

The first method of choice in treating excess weight or obesity is diet supplemented with physical activity. Then, if weight loss does not occur, other treatment options are used, including medical and surgical options.

Today, hundreds of diets are offered to those who want to lose weight, but only some of them are officially recognized. It has been proven that there is no universal and ideal diet. Many types of nutrition have contraindications andThis can make the situation worse. Therefore, you should not rush to every new remedy that promises a slim figure.    

Features of choosing a diet for obesity

When treating obesity, you should immediately abandon the diet with a predetermined daily calorie intake. The diet should be individualized depending on the stage of obesity, eating disorders, concomitant diseases and other important points. Diabetes, gastrointestinal pathologies, hematopoiesis and vitamin-It is especially important to take into account the presence of mineral balance problems.  

For example, diabetic patients are strictly prohibited from fasting or, conversely, eating a high-carbohydrate diet. Patients with anemia should not give up meat and offal. Children need dairy products; Removing them from the menu risks disrupting the growth and development of the musculoskeletal skeleton.  

The nutrition plan is drawn up with a clear distribution of meals (3-5) and menu structure. Keeping a self-monitoring diary will help you monitor and modify the menu, where the patient will write down all the food eaten daily. The substances have to be written in grams.

Important points while choosing diet:

  • Severe calorie restriction and nutritional deficiencies should be avoided. A sudden significant reduction in the energy content of the diet, for example half the current value, will yield impressive results, but will not provide long-term success. The weight will return within a year, if earlier. Or else.
  • The menu should not be monotonous; It should take into account the patient's tastes. Otherwise stress will aggravate obesity. Monotonous food is a common cause of diet failure. The patient feels hungry, he is burdened by restrictions and his "soul asks for relief". . After eating a forbidden sweet or fatty food and receiving excessive pleasure, it is already difficult to stop. The brain immediately reminds how bad it was without "sweets".
  • The patient should drink plenty of water. You will have to give up lemonade, sweet tea and alcohol.

An important element that limits appetite is vegetable fiber, which is involved in the mechanism of increasing the amount of food in the stomach and delaying its emptying. These substances also reduce the absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract and prevent intestinal transit. Therefore, almost every effective diet includes fruits and vegetables or additives that induce satiety.

In difficult cases, if you cannot cope with your appetite, the endocrinologist will prescribe a drug that affects the satiety center. Taking such pills does not cause the patient to feel hungry. But it is important to understand that taking such drugs is unpleasant. Limited to side effects and many contraindications.

Calorie Restricted Diet – Classic Diet

Diets that limit calories usually have a low fat content. The most popular diet of this type is the classic one. It has been used for more than 40 years and is recommended by most scientific societies, which is whyThat's how it got this name.

According to statistics, such a diet can reduce body weight by 10 kg in 6 months or by 10% after 18 weeks, however, after a year, every third patient returns to his previous body weight, And after 3 years, almost everyone.

The essence of the classic diet

The classic diet is a high-carbohydrate diet with calories corresponding to the degree of excess weight. The energy value is usually 1200-1500 kcal/day. For women and 1500-1800 kcal/day. For men. Current dietWith respect toComes from protein.

Disadvantages, side effects, long-term effects of the classic diet

The problem is that high carbohydrate diets have been empirically linked to the mechanism of postprandial hyperglycemia with weight gain and stimulation of insulin secretion, followed by the accumulation of easily digested carbohydrates as fat. Furthermore, restrictive dietsReduce thermogenesis and increase the body's energy efficiency, so they are ineffective. The side effects of restrictive diets are largely psyche-related.

low-carb, protein-rich diet

Low carbohydrate protein diet is an alternative to carbohydrate diet. Such diets are high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates (and hence calories). This leads to weight loss, which initially depends on the release of glycogen-bound water from the body. .  

The initial effect of a low carb diet is immediate and so effective that it becomes additional motivation for the patient.

essence of protein diet 

The diet is based on ketosis - the result of endogenous fat burning, which causes a decrease in appetite. The second factor is the monotony of the menu. As a result, the body's need for insulin is reduced, glycemia and sometimes lipid concentrations are reduced. Is.  

Protein in the diet stimulates the release of glucagon, thereby facilitating the balance between insulinemia and glucagonemia. The feeling of satiety after eating increases, and this is due to the increased ratio of protein and energy obtained from food. ThisIt is important to understand that a high protein diet does not always mean low calorie intake.

Disadvantages, side effects, long term effects of protein diet

Unfortunately, there is not enough research to support the effectiveness and safety of a high-protein diet. And it does not include healthy foods: grains, fruits, vegetables. On the contrary, the menu is high in fat (55-60%) and animalContains several ingredients rich in protein (25-30%).  

In addition, high protein diets commonly cause calcium deficiencies and vitamin E, A, B. 1, B6, folic acid, magnesium, iron, and potassium. Deficiency of calcium, vitamin D, and secondary increased secretion of TSH disrupt cellular calcium homeostasis, increasing cytosolic calcium levels, And it can stimulate several adverse metabolic pathways, including lipid synthesis in adipose tissue.

The long-term effects of such a diet on the body are also unknown. The observed increase in uric acid and LDL levels and the absence of an increase in HDL pose a risk for the development of atherosclerosis, despite the beneficial effects on triglyceride concentrations. In addition, the dietReducing the proportion of fiber causes constipation.

Also, when comparing the effectiveness of a protein diet (containing 25% protein, 45% carbohydrates) with a carbohydrate diet (containing 12% protein, 58% carbohydrates), the advantage of the former is clear. Studies have shown that 4In comparison there is a reduction in fat mass by 8 kg.

protein free modified diet

With minimal lipids and carbohydratesThis high-protein, very low-calorie diet, with a caloric value of <800 kcal/day, is very popular in many European clinics.  

The menu consists of protein in the amount of 1. 2 g/kg body weight for women and 1. 4 g/kg body weight for men. Diet therapy is carried out for a month under strict medical supervision. Vitamins are prescribed. This diet theoretically allows you to lose 90 grams of fat per day and reduce your basal metabolism by 10-20%.  

Protein-sparing modified diet affects individual elements of the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes:

  • Reduces hyperglycemia and endogenous hyperinsulinemia;
  • Increases lipid oxidation and sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin;
  • Reduces hepatic insulin clearance and hepatic glucose release.

Summary of modified protein free diet

This dietary option provides adequate amounts of protein (about 50 g/day), which balances the nitrogen balance of metabolism and protects endogenous proteins from proteolysis. The low carbohydrate content restricts insulin secretion and promotes lipolysis. Energy expenditureThe energy gap between intake and calorie intake (at least 650 kcal/day) is covered by burning endogenous lipids.  

protein shake for weight loss

One of the popular meal replacements during a protein-sparing modified diet is protein shake. In addition to being high in protein, such products also contain other nutrients essential during the diet. While losing weight, you need to reduce the total of calories consumed. The number needs to be reduced. The protein shake offers low calorie content, allowing you to control your calorie intake and create a calorie deficit to achieve your target weight. 39 kg in one pouchContains calories. The cocktail contains fiber, guarana extract, chia seeds, proteins, baobab fruit extract and a whole complex of vitamins. One serving of this cocktail can replace a meal and keep you satiated for 3-4 hours.

Reduction of insulinemia and increase of fat oxidation leads to production of ketone bodies in the liver – energy material for muscle and brain, limits gluconeogenesis from protein substrate and reduces appetite.

low carbohydrate, high fat diet

Such diets have been a hit in recent years, although they are far from new. The Atkins diet, created by a cardiologist in 1973, is especially popular. Atkins' book has sold more than 10 million copies. In European countries, it is read four times more often than all other dietary guidelines combined.

essence of the atkins diet

It is a low-carb, high-protein, high-fat diet. During the first two weeks, carbohydrate intake is limited to 20 g/day and then to 30 g/day. After reaching the desired body weight, the carbohydrate intake is gradually increased-Grows slowly.

Serious controversy among scientists regarding this diet arises due to its high fat content. However, the amount of fat oxidized or stored depends on the difference between the total energy requirement and the oxidation of other dietary components that have priority over lipids. Let's take.

Alcohol is burned first, because the body cannot store it and it requires a lot of energy to convert it into fat. The situation is similar with amino acids and proteins, which perform functional functions, and carbohydrates, which areStorage in form is limited. The transformation of carbohydrates into fats also requires a lot of energy. Thus, it can be assumed that their oxidation practically matches the consumption.  

On the other hand, the possibilities for fat accumulation (mainly in adipose tissue) are practically unlimited, and the efficiency of this process is very good.

The Atkins diet reduces plasma concentrations of insulin, C-peptide, and especially proinsulin under alkaline conditions and after glucagon stimulation, which may result in less atherogenic effects than previously thought. It was also noted that insulin hypersecretionThere was an increase in insulin sensitivity with a decrease in. Thus, this diet makes it possible to achieve an effect of the nature of etiopathogenetic therapeutic intervention for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Scientifically proven that maintaining the diet has a 10% chance of weight loss after 6 months. No serious consequences have been identified yet.

other foods

  • Alternative diet.It involves eating one type of food or completely abstaining from eating on selected days. The effectiveness of this type of nutrition is low, mainly due to its rapid abandonment. It is difficult for patients not to eat anything, and only oneIt is even more difficult to eat products, for example, boiled rice, without salt, sugar and oil.  
  • Low fat diet.The structure of the diet includes the removal of all meat and dairy products, vegetable oils, fish and in general all products containing any fat. Long-term adherence to such a diet leads to anemia, weakening of the musculoskeletal frame and healthIt gets spoiled.
  • starvation, The diet involves completely abstaining from food for a certain period of time. It is not a recommended way to lose weight, no matter how long it lasts. Fasting is especially beneficial for diabetics, people with depression, those who need vitamins andDangerous for patients with microelement deficiencies and people taking strong medications.  

At all times, quack diets have been and remain popular, usually based on the alleged unusual weight loss properties of certain foods, most often fruits. For example, the apple diet requires eating only apples, The grape diet requires eating grapes, the banana diet requires eating bananas. Such diets are either ineffective or dangerous. For example, a grape and banana diet is guaranteed to increase blood sugar, leading to diabetes. Increases.

Which diet is best?

You cannot choose your diet yourself. The best option would be to contact an endocrinologist, who, based on the test results, will select the right type of nutrition.   

Physical activity is given more importance for overweight and obesity

The importance of physical activity in the process of losing weight is significantly underestimated. Judge for yourself: losing 1 kg requires enormous effort, for example, walking 250 km. And for many patients, such loads are prohibited due to concomitant pathologies. In other words, when planning to lose weight, you must understand that physical education alone as a method of treatment will not give the result you want to achieve.

But this does not mean that you need to give up physical activity. Physical activity is important to slow down the pace of weight gain and prevent weight regain. In addition, while losing extra pounds, strengthening the muscle structureImportant, then the skin will not become loose and saggy.  

Physical activity has a beneficial effect on the entire body - this applies to both overweight and thin people.  

gymnastics:

  • Maintains muscle mass by preventing muscle protein catabolism during weight loss;
  • Reduces insulin resistance, improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism;
  • Normalizes blood pressure.

Active games and simple walking also improve your mood, improve blood circulation and air exchange in the tissues. Therefore, physical education with measured loads will always be an integral part of the complex treatment of excess weight and obesity.